Iqaluit man calls for Nunavut-wide boycott of Fiat-Chrysler products

Iqaluit resident John Fawcett is stuck with a 2014 Jeep Cherokee that was recalled by its manufacturer, Fiat-Chrysler, because of a defective transmission and other problems, such as a back-hatch wire that could catch fire and bad airbag sensors. To get those problems fixed, the company wants him to spend about $24,000, more than what he paid for it, to ship the vehicle south. (PHOTO BY STEVE DUCHARME)

An Iqaluit man is calling for a Nunavut-wide boycott of one of North America’s big three auto companies, Fiat-Chrysler, after he learned of a company policy that could force him to spend more than $20,000 in shipping fees to get his car sent south for mandatory repairs listed in a federal recall.

John Fawcett, who has lived in Iqaluit for more than a decade, told Nunatsiaq News he took out a $22,000 loan from the bank to buy a 2014 Jeep Cherokee as a family vehicle ahead of the birth of his first child.

Jeep, Dodge and Ram trucks are three of the more popular products made by Fiat-Chrysler’s subsidiary companies.

Fiat-Chrysler was founded in 2014 when the legacy automaker Chrysler, after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States, was bought out by Italian automaker Fiat.

Fawcett said shortly after buying his Jeep Cherokee second-hand—and with two years remaining on the original warranty—a software glitch in the vehicle’s computer-controlled transmission has made driving the vehicle impossible and dangerous.

“A week before my baby was born, my car shifted into neutral by itself while I was driving home,” he said Aug. 31.

“This could cause an unexpected shift to neutral which could result in a loss of motive power, which in conjunction with traffic and road conditions, and the driver’s reactions, may increase the risk of a crash,” said an explanation for the recall on Transport Canada’s website.

Approximately 35,000 Jeep Cherokee vehicles from 2014 are listed as being affected by the transmission recall, according to Transport Canada.

Other federally-recalled faults in the vehicle include a back-hatch wire that may catch fire, as well as bad sensors that could deploy airbags with minimal jarring.

Fawcett said he was told by Fiat-Chrysler that he would have to send the car south for service.

That’s because the company’s policy mandates that licensed Fiat-Chrysler technicians have to perform all recall repairs at Fiat-Chrysler dealerships.

And the closest Fiat-Chrysler dealership is more than 2,000 kilometres away.

Now, Fawcett says his only options are to spend about $24,000 to ship his car by air freight, or spend $4,000 and wait one year to get his vehicle back by sealift.

The dangers of driving the car with his newborn effectively make the vehicle a “$22,000 paperweight,” because he would never risk the lives of himself or his family to drive it, Fawcett explained.

“I purchased the vehicle for the safety of my child,” he said.

To add insult to injury, the cost of shipping the car down south amounts to more than the market value of the vehicle.

Fiat-Chrysler policy states it is the consumer’s responsibility to bring their vehicles in to receive recall repairs, but Fawcett believes the company isn’t taking into account the unique circumstances of its northern clients.

“There’s no solution for remote communities, that’s what upsets me,” he said.

Now, Fawcett wants northerners to agree to boycott Fiat-Chrysler vehicles on an online petition, until the company recognizes that remote communities need special consideration to deal with factory recalls.

“I want my petition to force Fiat-Chrysler to re-analyze their policy,” he said.

A precedent for northern service exists, created by the other two North American automakers, Ford and General Motors, which have sent up technicians in the past to deal with recall defects for all vehicles within Iqaluit, Fawcett said.

Its unclear how many Fiat-Chrysler vehicles are located in Nunavut.

When contacted by Nunatsiaq News, Nunavut’s Motor Vehicles division said it is still in the process of transferring its vehicle registration data to a new electronic system, and could not produce the data.

We reached out to the Canadian media relations wing of Fiat-Chrysler for comment on the article, but representatives did not respond to our messages.

You can read Fawcett’s online petition here.